Everyday Creative Blog

To overcome a challenge is a wonderful American act. Impressive, filled with fortitude and perseverance.

Or is there a better, easier way to move through challenges? Today in coach training class we talked about our thoughts on becoming vs. overcoming.

Most of us agreed that to overcome something in life sounded really hard. I got the image of Sisyphus pushing the rock up the hill over and over again. Pretty joyless, too.

But to become sounds like creating, and enjoying the process. Becoming focuses on a solution, something positive; overcoming focuses on the problem, aka. a big, fat bummer.

Then there's the totally un-fun image of overcoming: I see a clenched jaw, pursed lips and my eyes closed while I walk slowly against high winds and bad weather. It's just struggling, struggling to go through. I am enduring.

I hate the act of enduring. It feels like a duty, without a trace of creativity or imagination anywhere. (Although some periods of life do call upon enduring skills.)

The act of being, or becoming feels like living from a space of inspiration: putting my hands together to see who I can call on for collaboration or wise words and what I can create to move through a time that's filled with stupid challenges luscious new opportunites. One small cool-ass step at a time.

If you're one of the new masses who's chanting: "Enjoy the process" -- then being rather than overcoming can be your ticket to the enjoying part.

With all that in mind: Who would you be if you focused on the thrill of becoming rather than the agony of overcoming?